Shell Helix: Extremely freaky sand action

If you want to experience crazy off-road experiences in the dunes, you have to go to Cape Town. With Shell we went to the South African metropolis to experience the premium products, Shell Helix, in extreme conditions. Some well-known prominent drivers have already been able to convince themselves of this in much more difficult expeditions. Among them the well-known former Formula One driver Mika Salo, who took part in two of the tours and was also on board as an expert in Cape Town.

The previous excursions were in impassable areas such as the Malaysian jungle, the 'desert of death' and the 'road of bones'. The latter is located in the middle of Siberia and there people and machines were particularly challenged. The oil withstood temperatures well below 50 degrees Celsius. However, they always had to keep the engines running to prevent the gasoline from freezing. This even had to be topped up with the engine running. So that the oil remained liquid, the specially equipped and converted Nissan Patrols were driven a few meters back and forth every hour to move the oil in the tub. The participants not only had to be able to rely 100% on each other, but also on the equipment, as they were completely on their own and could not hope for any outside help.

Interview with Mika Salo at Shell Helix Extrem

In the Malaysian jungle, however, Mika Salo had to take on a little more responsibility than wanted. Adrian Brody, his fellow adventurer on the expedition, turned out to be a gruesome driver who was constantly distracted and not focused on driving, according to Mika. His absent-mindedness almost threw her off a bridge once, so Mika took over driving from there. 'A terrible driver, but I'm not a particularly good co-driver either,' said Mika. No wonder with his biography. He began his career as a driver at the age of six and had several good results in Formula One as a replacement for Michael Schuhmacher. What he might have thought of some of the participants on the Shell Helix 'Extremely crazy' tour in Cape Town is hard to imagine. More information about all expeditions can be found on the Shell Helix Youtube channel.

On the first day, participants from nine different countries went out into the dunes near Atlantis, which still happily exists here. Ten Land Rover Discoveries and instructors were already waiting on site. We were divided into teams and I happened to be the only participant from Germany to be assigned to the South African team, with whom I had already had breakfast in the morning. Fate? Our instructor Anton instructed us in everything. In order to be able to drive on such soft sand, air was let out of the tires to get a larger contact area. This reduced the risk of getting stuck.

With Shell Helix and Land Rover Offroad in the dunes

When driving in the dunes, on the one hand, it is important not to stand still, especially not on any slope, but always to roll in a controlled manner. When driving uphill you have to take a kind of 'run-up' to get to the top of the dune on the soft sand. It is important to get as much momentum as possible with the help of your own dynamics and the engine. This also helps when circumventing any obstacles. Some made it straight away, others took several tries. Fortunately, only one vehicle got stuck, which was then shoveled free again in cooperation. Our vehicle made great progress and immediately we went to the reserve, where we had to face our first tasks.

They have to drive over seven bridges with Shell Helix

Between zebras, buffalos, giraffes, springboks and rhinos, we should master some challenges that the prominent participants were confronted with on their extreme expeditions every day. The first thing to do was to use a motorized pump to pump water out of a well, on time. We had to assemble the pump and fill it with petrol. My team had an excellent time, which unfortunately was later surpassed by two other teams. Then we had to build a bridge to move the vehicles over it, and the last thing to swing up a dune. The one who got the farthest up won. Here, too, my team shone with good results.

You can only get up the dune with momentum

The tasks as well as our skills at the wheel were assessed by our instructor Anton and should ultimately decide whether we shouldDriven to Extremes' Should or not win trophy on the last day. The day ended with a wonderful dinner at a winery and quite exhausted participants who were looking forward to the next day's challenges. Whether we have won the coveted trophy or not, you can read in the second part of 'Extremely crazy'.